A Family Apart
by TweetyPie82
Summary: A mysterious female comes into Harry's shop for help. Bob steps in during the initial interview, and reveals a startling secret! Harry has a twin! A WIP...


_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own the Dresden Family, magical community, or any employees of Chicago Police Department. SciFi, Hans Beimier, and Robert Hewitt Wolfe have already beaten me to the punch. However Elizabeth Goffin is my creation, so please ask before using her._

A Family Apart Chapter One By TweetyPie82

Elizabeth Goffin was far away from home. She sat in her hotel room with her 'Who Am I' notebook, and the television set on. The only entry was the weird dream she keeps having. The one with a woman standing above her saying her name. The television was turned to a movie of her favorite subject. She was afraid to leave the room quiet around her, too frightened of where her thoughts would wonder. Then a line from the movie caught her attention, "It's in your blood, Harry."

"I think I'll name them Harry and Elizabeth." The woman said with love as she gazed down at them with an expression to match. A man came into view and gazed down at them with an awe of a new father. He nodded his head in agreement.

"The names seem to fit them like a pair of gloves." The man commented as he reached down and gently stroked Harry and her, just like the women had done only a few moments prior.

Elizabeth jolted out of…what in the hell was that? It wasn't a vision, she had those before but the feel was different. Then the word 'memory' slipped in and fit perfectly. Well, she knew right then and there, that she needed someone special. So she picked up the phonebook, and thumbed through the yellow pages. She stopped at one entry toward the back and stared. It read:

Harry Dresden – Wizard

**Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations.**

**Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates.**

**No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or**

**Other Entertainment.**

She jotted down the address and phone number, just in case she got lost on her way, before grabbing her jacket and purse before heading out.

*************

Harry was in his secret lab doing some inventory, vaguely answering Bob's questions of his task at hand. He was seeing what he needs to gather more of and what to leave alone. He was so engrossed in his task that everything outside of the lab was as if on a different realm, until Bob's voice seemed to scream in his ear. "What is it, Bob?" He demanded with an annoyed glare.

"I said there is a young lady that just came into the building through the front door. Shall I see to her?" Bob repeated slightly annoyed himself.

Harry looked Bob's apparition body up and down carefully, and then shook his head. "No, no, I'll see her. You stay here." He said as he put down the clipboard, pen, and the jar he was holding before leaving the room. He then stepped around the corner to see a woman about his height, shoulder length black hair, and her back to him. She seemed to be interested in the items he had out, more specifically the symbols etched into the building for protection. "Hi. How may I help you?" He asked her as he approached her. When she turned around, he stopped his advancement. Her eyes, which seemed very familiar, looked at him in terrifying fear. 'Oh shit!' He thought, as he knew now that he couldn't turn her away from his services.

Elizabeth was intently looking at the symbols etched in the walls of the front room trying to figure out what each one meant, while a proportion of her mind was stuck on the fact that someone was trying to kill her. What brought her out of her thoughts was a question from a male behind her. "Two things actually. One, I need to find someone. Two, someone has been trying to kill me." She said as she turned around to face him, but stopped in mid-turn. Her eyes stopped on a poster of 'The Amazing Dresden' and a man. "That's him! He was in my vision…no…memory back at my hotel room. Who is he?" She asked with a finger pointed at the poster.

Harry turned to look at the poster in question. "He was a good magician. He was my father." He walked over next to her and looked at the poster with a little soft love. "Is that who you want me to find?" He asked.

Before she could answer, Bob's voice was clearly heard from down the hallway. "Harry, a word please." He called out in his sophisticated toned voice. Bob had been keeping an eye on the two of them, and felt he needed to tell Harry who the woman really was.

"Excuse me. I'll be right back." Harry apologized as he walked back into the lab. He spotted Bob right away and glared. "What is it Bob?" He demanded impatiently.

Bob returned the stare and replied in the same tone, "You cannot take this case."

"Why not, Bob?" Harry's voice got angrier.

"Because, Harry, that woman is your sister, Elizabeth." Bob's tone had gotten stern.

"What do you mean 'sister'? I'm a only child, Bob." Harry reprimanded disbelievingly.

"You're a twin, Harry. A rare thing for wizards. Elizabeth was taken when the two of you were not even a day old. Thank goodness your mother had a plan for something like that. She had binded the two of you together. Since you were the oldest, you were the magnet of the pair. So when the two of you needed each other, you would be able to find the other." Bob started off and continued even further, "However Harry, there are advantages to being part of twins."

"Such as?" Harry questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"For starters, she can help with your technology problem. On the plus side, she can heal and protect you if you are injured." Bob lightly explained. "And the two of you will have a limitless supply of will, power, and such." He added. "But that only works when you are in close proximity." He watched as Harry nodded his head in understanding before going back to the front. When he was sure he was alone, Bob let a small smile form on his lips. "I'm sorry the two of you weren't alive to be here, Colm and Margaret. She finally came home." He whispered into the air hoping wherever they are, they could hear him.

Back in the front, Harry just stood there looking at this strange woman. He finally realized why she looked familiar. He was staring at a female look-a-like. "I'm sorry, but I can't take your case." He finally said, a lump forming somewhere in his throat. Her face just went from 'hopeful' to 'despair'.

"Mr. Dresden, who else can I get help from?" She asked with a new resolve in her voice. Harry started to admire her for it.

"Miss…" Harry trailed off, letting her fill in the blank.

"Goffin." She supplied. "Elizabeth Goffin." She added in a bad impression of double-oh-seven.

"Miss Goffin, I didn't say I wasn't going to help. I just can't officially take your case." Harry explained and the lump evaporated at the hope returning to her face. He genuinely smiled at her.

"Why not, Mr. Dresden?" Elizabeth asked with a raised eyebrow. She was curious as to why a stranger wouldn't 'officially' help her.

"Because it would be unethical. Much like a doctor practicing medicine on family or a lawyer representing a family member in court." Harry explained, and at her complete look of total confusion, he added, "I'm your brother." What happened next, Harry wasn't prepared for. Elizabeth fell like a rock to the floor. He shot forward and caught her before she made ground zero, and picked her up before carrying her back to his private quarters.

As he laid her down on his couch, Bob walked in and stood there in slight shock. "Harry, what had happened?" He asked as his brain kicked back into gear.

"I told her I was her brother, and she just fainted." Harry explained.

"Quickly hold her hand." Bob instructed and then at Harry's hesitation, he added in urgency, "Do it Harry. Or your mother's spell will drive her insane." He watched as Harry's hand snatched and cradled hers.

Harry felt the magic evaporate from the long-term spell placed on them like steam from a boiling kettle. He could recover from that kind of spell fairly easily because of the training he had as a child. But his sister, he had gotten a feeling that she wasn't quite as lucky. "She's going to need to sleep off the effect, Bob. And if what she says is true, I really don't want her staying where she currently is." He said out loud mostly to himself, momentarily forgetting that Bob was there.

"What did she say?" Bob the ghost asked as he stepped closer, worried about her as well.

"Someone wants her dead." Harry answered emotionlessly, and that made Bob take a few steps back. There was always something in his voice, but this nothing just now scared Bob to death, that was if he wasn't already there. "I'm going to go retrieve her things, after I find out where I'm going to get them." He finally added as he made a decision. He began to carefully go through her things. He found a hotel key card and his information in what must be her handwriting on hotel stationary.

Harry took those items and went over to his desk. "Bob," He started, but didn't get to finish.

"I know Harry. I'll baby-sit until you return." The ghost supplied and received an approving grunt. Bob in turn rolled his eyes in response to the retreating back.

Once at his desk, Harry picked up the phone and dialed the number on the notepaper. A faux cheerful voice answered after just a few rings. "Chicago Hilton. How may I help you?" The voice sounded female.

Harry's eyebrows went up. Elizabeth must be loaded to stay there. "Yes, I'm suppose to be meeting an old friend in her hotel room to discuss some business. However, I seemed to have misplaced the room number she had given me…" Harry trailed off trying to sound apologetic.

"Certainly, Sir. What is the guest's name?" The fake female voice asked.

"Elizabeth Goffin. Thank you." Harry replied gratefully. He could hear the keys on the keyboard being tapped away.

"Miss Goffin is in room 1234. Anything else I can help you with, sir?" The voice asked in tone that told just how much she wanted to do so.

"No thank you." Harry answered just before replacing the receiver back into its cradle. He then got to his feet and grabbed a few things he might need. His hockey stick staff, drumstick wand, mother's protection bracelet, some chalk, and an enchanted ring. The ring saves a little bit of strength each time the wearer's arm moves, and when used it gives one hell of a punch. Harry secured these items on him and set out to the Hilton. He didn't expect to make this trip an adventurous one.

Harry didn't even get a few blocks out, when all of a sudden one of his tires blew out. He muttered an oath before getting out of his jeep and changing the tire. Once that was done, he climbed back behind the wheel and continued on his way. Just before reaching the hotel, he felt this rage of energy that threw him back against the seat. He was choking from lack of air as it pressed him back. He willed some energy into his bracelet and sized it just right to fit around him. He hurried to the hotel, and then ran up to the room.

The sight before him as he opened the door to the room was horrific. It was a wreck that looked like tornado alley. The cushions were ripped to shreds, mattress and box spring torn open, and wooden furniture broken into splinters and toothpicks. The culprit was still inside, tearing the room upside down. Harry silently walked in and stopped in his tracks as he saw the thing…_creature_. Harry had never seen one quite like it, but he had _read_ about them. A normal person would look upon it and see another person, but he wasn't normal. What his eyes saw was a body of a lion, a head of an eagle, forelegs of a hawk, and a tail of a dragon. What Harry looked upon was a _**griffin**_.


End file.
